Covid-19: Vaccinations to begin today as sharp surge in hospitalizations reported
The Cabinet was briefed last night on the latest news on administering the first doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which begins today in four hospitals. Picture: Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP
The first vaccines will be administered in Ireland today amid warnings that the third wave of Covid-19 has already led to more hospitalisations than in the entirety of the second wave.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) has reported a sharp surge in hospitalisations over the last two days, just as the vaccine rollout programme begins.
Inoculations will get underway today at Cork University Hospital, Beaumont Hospital and St James's Hospital in Dublin, and at Galway University Hospital, where a small number of people will receive the vaccines ahead of Monday's roll-out to nursing homes.
Speaking as a further 765 cases and one further death were announced, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said the total case figures for the last two days is artificially low due to a slowdown in referrals over Christmas Day and St Stephen's Day.
He said hospitalisations and the testing positivity rates are now a serious cause for concern.
"We are reporting that we have now exceeded the cumulative number of people hospitalised in this third wave than in the second," Dr Holohan said.
"Hospitalisations have increased sharply in the last two days. This is a concerning trend which reflects the sharp increase [in] incidence we saw in the last 10 days.
"We are also seeing a steep rise in the positivity rates in community testing, with a seven-day average of over 9.2%, up from 5.2% on December 18.
"This indicates that the virus is increasing its foothold out in our communities. This is just one more reason why we are strongly advising everyone to stay safely at home to avoid transmitting or catching this virus, as it continues to circulate widely."
In total, 359 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of whom 30 are in intensive care units (ICUs) across the country, the latest figures reveal.
There were 41 additional hospitalisations in the preceding 24 hours, with five additional admissions to ICUs.
Dr Holohan appealed to people to stay at home except for essential reasons, though non-essential retail shops are likely to remain open in the days ahead.
A Cabinet meeting, originally scheduled for today, was brought forward to yesterday to discuss both the virus and Brexit.
Sources said it is unlikely that shops will be forced to shut in the coming days — closures were recommended by Nphet — although the situation will be monitored.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said estimates showed that the impact of closing non-essential shops on the spread of the virus "wouldn't be huge".
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said it is unlikely that the current restrictions on travel and household visits, due to be re-examined on January 12, will be eased.
He said that the availability of the vaccine changes things, and that “there is a case for saying that restrictions that are in place, should stay in place”.
The Cabinet was also briefed on the latest news on administering the first doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which begins today in four hospitals.
A total of 9,750 doses arrived into Ireland on Saturday, although sources say the Government is not moved by some criticism that four days would pass before the first jabs were administered, while some EU countries had already begun inoculations.
Meanwhile, in the North, there were 20 more Covid-related deaths announced, and 1,634 new cases in a two-day period.
The surge comes as additional restrictions are put in place, including a curfew from 8pm each night, with shops closed from that time, and all indoor and outdoor gatherings prohibited until 6am.
The rampant spread of the virus across Europe also brought record daily figures to the UK yesterday — 41,385 cases were confirmed by Public Health England, while a further 357 people have died.
The first doses of this vaccine will be administered in Ireland today.
A small number of people will receive the vaccine at Cork University Hospital, Beaumont, St James's, and Galway University Hospital.
The roll-out will continue in the days ahead.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is to issue its verdict on approving the vaccine on January 6, with roll-out to follow shortly afterwards.
Expected to get EU approval in January also. It will be easier to administer as it does not require very cold storage.
A single-dose vaccine, approval expected in the first half of 2021.
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